Autonomous maritime capabilities continue to gain momentum across naval, commercial and civil applications amid advances in autonomy and AI

Today, Maritime Autonomous Systems (MAS) - uncrewed platforms that operate on or under the surface of the sea without an onboard human presence - are in active service across the globe, with the market experiencing robust growth, estimated at $5 billion in 2025, and projected to reach approximately $15 billion by 2033. 

In military applications, MAS are being employed for a range of purposes, including mine clearance, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as logistics support. In July, the UK Royal Navy accepted three sets of autonomous minesweeping systems, known as SWEEP, into service, enabling the safe clearance of sea lanes and ability to defeat modern mine threats remotely using uncrewed platforms. 

MAS are also transforming operations in the commercial and civil world, driving innovation in offshore energy, environmental monitoring, marine science and underwater search and recovery. Autonomous systems are also increasingly used for oceanographic data collection, uncrewed cargo transport, and smart port operations. A recent initiative launched at the Port of Tyne, for example, is implementing autonomous logistics solutions to enhance port operations.

According to Will Ashford-Brown, Director of Strategic Insights at Heligan Group, autonomy and AI will play defining roles in navigation and operations in both military and civil applications, particularly in GPS-denied environments. 

“The UK has taken a leading position in maritime autonomy, with the Royal Navy actively developing and fielding a new generation of autonomous maritime platforms. Central to this effort are programmes like NavyX, the Royal Navy’s autonomous systems accelerator, trialling platforms and working closely with NATO partners in joint experimentation to bring new innovation to the seas more quickly.

“The initiatives under NavyX align with the Royal Navy’s Maritime Aviation Transformation Strategy and the UK’s Strategic Defence Review's ambitions and are crucial to remain relevant in a world that is going to be dominated by one nation’s ability to project power of this sort over others.”

Maritime swarming concepts are emerging from the conflict in Ukraine, which saw Kyiv deploy uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), coined suicide sea drones, in coordinated attacks against Russian ships in the Black Sea in 2023. 

Ashford-Brown continued: “Regulatory frameworks are starting to evolve that are slowly allowing MAS to safely operate in shared waters alongside crewed ships, but as with all legislative and regulatory constructs, these are not moving at the pace of innovation and are seen as a brake to progress.

“Countries like Norway and Japan are leading the way and demonstrating what aligned innovation and regulation can achieve. They are already conducting sea trials of autonomous commercial vessels, meaning automated ferries and smart navigation systems are now more than just prototypes - they are real and operational.

“Like we have seen in Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) and Uncrewed Ground Systems (UGS) in the air and terrestrial sectors, MAS will only continue to reshape maritime operations across defence, science, and commerce. With improvements in efficiency, safety, and capability, alongside the development of supportive regulatory frameworks, MAS are establishing themselves as permanent in the maritime landscape,” concluded Ashford-Brown.